The people of the world are like unto trees (i.e., trees without roots), they are torn up by the pa.s.sing of a gust of wind, but trees which are deeply rooted, strong and st.u.r.dy, are not uprooted by the most violent tempest-therefore they produce leaves, blossoms and fruits.
O thou spiritual friend! Thou hast asked the wisdom of prayer. Know thou that prayer is indispensable and obligatory, and man under no pretext whatsoever is excused from performing the prayer unless he be mentally unsound, or an insurmountable obstacle prevent him. The wisdom of prayer is this: That it causeth a connection between the servant and the True One, because in that state (i.e., prayer) man with all heart and soul turneth his face towards His Highness the Almighty, seeking His a.s.sociation and desiring His love and compa.s.sion. The greatest happiness for a lover is to converse with his beloved, and the greatest gift for a seeker is to become familiar with the object of his longing; that is why with every soul who is attracted to the Kingdom of G.o.d, his greatest hope is to find an opportunity to entreat and supplicate before his Beloved, appeal for His mercy and grace and be immersed in the ocean of His utterance, goodness and generosity.
Beside all this, prayer and fasting is the cause of awakening and mindfulness and conducive to protection and preservation from tests. The obligatory prayer is revealed from the Supreme Pen and is translated in America. Ask for it from the believers and use it.
"O thou beloved maid-servant of G.o.d!..."
O thou beloved maid-servant of G.o.d!
Thank thou G.o.d that thou art directed to the Light of Guidance and ushered into the Kingdom of the Love of G.o.d, became the recipient of the inexhaustible bounties and that thou hast a son like ........., who is the servant in the Threshold of G.o.d and is one of the sons of the Kingdom of the Merciful.
G.o.d hath accomplished His gift in thee; thou must be happy and thankful and hopeful for the favor of the True one.
"O thou who art longing for the Kingdom!..."
O thou who art longing for the Kingdom!
Mr. ......... in thy behalf hath made a great endeavor. Thou shouldst be eternally grateful to him and thank him, for he hath guided thee to the Kingdom, led thee to life eternal and set upon thy brow a crown whose brilliant gems shall illumine the world of existence. That crown is the Divine Guidance. Thousands of ill.u.s.trious and famous women are deprived but thou hast partaken of a share of this heavenly food. The queens of the world are portionless, but thou art inexhaustibly supplied.
Therefore, thank thou the Pure, the Almighty, and adore Him, that He hath bestowed such a beloved and glorious gift upon thee!
"O thou leaf who art moved by the Breeze of G.o.d!..."
O thou leaf who art moved by the Breeze of G.o.d!
Verily, I address thee with all spiritual love and gladness from this my residence at the base of Mount Carmel, which is blessed through all ages by the prophets, as recorded in the ancient Books. And I beseech His Highness the Merciful One to ordain thee a faithful footing in the Kingdom of G.o.d and to provide for thee all things by which thy mind may be brightened, thy breast be gladdened, thy tongue become eloquent and whereby the doors of the meanings hinted at in the sacred Books and Tablets be opened to thy mind. Verily, the people are veiled from comprehending the meanings of the Gospel, the Bible and the Koran and know not the interpretation of the scriptures of G.o.d, except those whose eyes are opened by the outpouring of the Spirit of G.o.d. Thou shalt behold men-servants and maid-servants of Baha" in those far-distant lands and wide countries, speaking the secrets of the Gospel and the mysteries of the Bible and the allusions of the Koran and the explanation of the Words of the Merciful One. Those are the servants to whomsoever G.o.d hath a.s.signed His mercy which overfloweth the existence.
"O thou tree planted in the Vineyard of G.o.d!..."
O thou tree planted in the Vineyard of G.o.d!
Verily, the clouds of the mercy of thy Lord have poured forth the rain of His greatest gift; the heat of the Sun of Truth hath become intense upon the plains, valleys and hills, and the winds of fecundation of the mercy of thy Lord have blown o"er the gardens, mountains and thickets.
Therefore, O thou tree, be verdant, blossom, put forth leaves and bear beautiful fruits in this most Supreme Paradise!
"O thou who art seeking fire from the Fire of the Love..."
O thou who art seeking fire from the Fire of the Love of G.o.d!
I received thy brilliant letter and became pleased with its beautiful contents. Shouldst thou desire to add perception and understanding, to become fully aware of the mysteries as deposited in the Holy Books and to spread the divine significances, it is inc.u.mbent upon thee to be straightforward in the right Path, to be firm in the teachings and to be patient under the great test. he who is steadfast shall grow and he who is straightforward shall succeed.
I supplicate G.o.d to grant thee power wherewith thou wilt confront the beliefs of all regions and innumerable nations; and to make it possible for thee to come hither in a convenient time when no obstacles exist, but now there are many obstacles in the way of thy coming. However, if thou turn thy face thoroughly to G.o.d, He will grant thee wisdom and power which maketh thy words to penetrate the hearts as the spirit penetrate the body.
O thou maid-servant of G.o.d! Thou must leave selfishness, separate thyself from the world and cling thoroughly to the Most Supreme Kingdom.
Give my salutations to Mrs. ......... and to the maid-servant of G.o.d, ........., and say to them that "G.o.d hath chosen His pure, devout and good maid-servants to turn their faces to Him and to become attracted by His fragrances in this new and wonderful day."
"O thou son of the Kingdom!..."
O thou son of the Kingdom!
Thy sweet letters with their interesting contents are always conducive to the joy of the hearts. They are like unto the melodies of the nightingale which imparteth exultation to soul and mind. Thank thou G.o.d! that thou hast gone to those parts(310) for the purpose of spreading the Word of G.o.d and diffusing the holy fragrances of the Kingdom of G.o.d and that thou art a gardener in the divine orchard. Ere long, confirmation and a.s.sistance shall environ thee.
O thou son of the Kingdom! If one possesses the love of G.o.d, everything that he undertakes is useful, but if the undertaking is without the love of G.o.d, then it is hurtful and the cause fo veiling one"s self from the Lord of the Kingdom. But with the love of G.o.d every bitterness is changed into sweetness and every gift becometh precious. For instance, a musical and melodious voice imparteth life to an attracted heart but lureth toward l.u.s.t those souls who are engulfed in pa.s.sion and desire.
With the love of G.o.d all sciences are accepted and beloved, but without it, are fruitless; nay, rather the cause of insanity. Every science is like unto a tree; if the fruit of it is the love of G.o.d, that is a blessed tree. Otherwise it is dried wood and finally a food for fire.
O thou sincere servant of the True One and the spiritual physician of the people! Whenever thou presentest thyself at the bed of a patient turn thy face toward the Lord of the Kingdom and supplicate a.s.sistance from the Holy Spirit and heal the ailments of the sick one. I beg of G.o.d to bestow thee with an eloquent tongue.
"O thou maid-servant of G.o.d!..."
O thou maid-servant of G.o.d!
Thy letter was received and the contents indicated that-praise be to G.o.d!
-thy heart is ablaze with the fire of the love of G.o.d and thine eyes are illumined with the light of the guidance of G.o.d, that thy face is cheerfully beaming and thy countenance is shining and gleaming.
Say unto thine honored helpmate, thy dear husband: "Thousands of souls, including the great divines and Pharisees among the Jews, were awaiting the Manifestation of Christ, lamenting and weeping and supplicating that the Messiah should soon appear. But when His Holiness Christ came with a beautiful face and sweet utterance and dawned from the day-spring of the contingent world like unto the shining sun, all those souls who awaited Him rejected Him, became afflicted with the sleep of heedlessness, did not wake up by the voice of Christ nor did they gain consciousness. Now again the same is the case in the Manifestation of Baha"o"llah."
I beg of G.o.d that thy dear husband be guided through the light of guidance and become a sign of the gift of the Kingdom of Abha.